Develop your understanding of the factors controlling the cell cycle by learning about a specific cancer

Objectives:

• Develop your understanding of the factors controlling the cell cycle by learning about a specific cancer.
• Review/learn the role of oncogenes (chpt 14) in controlling the rate of cell division.
• Review/learn the roles of tumor -suppressing genes and apoptosis in preventing the accumulation and proliferation of cells with mutations.

Alignment:

This discussion board is designed to accompany the materials in Chapters 13, 14, and 15 (weeks 11, 12, and 13), and build on the materials in Chapter 14 on cancer and the cell cycle. You will be using internet resources to develop your understanding of the role of oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and apoptosis and then applying that understanding to understanding a specific cancer.

Background:

Essentially, cancer is a disease of cell division and has touched all of us in some way. I lost two grandparents to cancer and my mother is dealing with recurring (but thankfully non-metastatic!) cancer. In this discussion, we have an opportunity to explore cancer in more detail.

Since cancer requires talking about genes and the complexities of cell division, it can be a little intimidating at first. However, there are many great resources on the internet. I will list a couple of my favorites below:

For learning about oncogenes, tumor suppressors, and apoptosis:

http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/proto-oncogenes-to-oncogenes-to-cancer-883

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/geneticsandcancer/genesandcancer/genes-and-cancer-oncogenes-tumor-suppressor-genes

For learning about specific genes involved in a specific cancer:

The Genetics Home Reference — http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ (I LOVE this resource and have used it a lot!)

Don’t feel limited by my list. Feel free to find your own resources as well!

Procedure:

1. Use the materials in your textbook or from online sources to learn/review oncogenes. Summarize the role of oncogenes in controlling cell division.
2. Use the materials in your textbook or from online sources to learn/review tumor suppressors and apoptosis. Summarize the roles of tumor suppressors and apoptosis in preventing mutations.
3. Use online resources to investigate a specific cancer and find out two specific genes that are associated with the cancer. Use your resources to explain the role that these genes play.
4. For instance, I could perform Google search or search on the Genetics Home Reference on “breast cancer genetics.” One of the genes that I’d find would be BRCA1. When I look up BRCA1 on the Genetics Home Reference webpage, I can find information about how BRCA1 works as a tumor suppressor with specific details that I could use for my discussion.

APA citation if needed.